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Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Lost in a classic?

Over at the blog A Different Stripe, which is written by the publishing folks at New York Review of Books, they have a post about the TV series Lost with a preview of an upcoming episode in which one of the characters is seen reading this book - The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Cesares, translated by Ruth L.C. Simms. Now, I don't watch Lost, but have seen numerous commercials for the series and so have a vague idea of what it's about. But I have read the novel and if the show is referencing it, then I think I know exactly what it's all about (and you could too!). It is also a great book to pick up during this Oscar week (the novel inspired several film-makers and the homage to the beautiful Louise Brooks on the cover is entirely intentional). It's quite short - you could mute the hours of pre-show babble and read this marvellous story instead. I won't give anything away; suffice it to say that it's set on an isolated island where strange things seem to be happening and posits, with fascinating conviction, an entirely new way to approach reality, creative or otherwise. If you have an interest in cinema, this is a must-read.It curiously reminded me of another take on the poreous conception of reality, which is Tom McCarthy's completely compelling and utterly original novel Remainder. Also a very difficult novel to describe. A man is awarded an enormous sum of money in damages after being hit on the head by falling debris. What he chooses to do with his money is the crux of the story and is unlike anything you'll have ever read before. Wildly entertaining with energetic prose, mind-boggling concepts and a wild, crazy, unforgettable ending. I'd love to see what a clever film-maker could do with it.

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We’re a group of Canadian publishers’ reps - all passionate readers - who have been giving book talk presentations of our favourite reads to librarians and school teachers. We present our picks for the best upcoming books for kids, teens and adults in a variety of genres, and introduce readers and educators to forgotten gems and new writers that they may have missed. In 2009 we received the Ontario Public Library Association’s Leadership in Adult Readers’ Advisory Award.

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Top 100 Elementary Books for K-8: Vol 3

This covers books published between August 2009 and September 2010
E-mail Saffron at saffronb@katewalker.com for a copy